Visual inspection system and method for lyophilized bead

Abstract

A visual inspection system includes a processor, a rotation stage, an adaptor, a light source, a telecentric lens and an image sensor. The adaptor is connected to the rotation stage and located under the rotation stage for positioning the lyophilized bead. The light source is located at a lateral side of the lyophilized bead for emitting lights to illuminate the lyophilized bead. The telecentric lens is located at the lateral side of the lyophilized bead for imaging the lyophilized bead. The image sensor is located at a lateral side of the telecentric lens opposite to the lyophilized bead for capturing images of the lyophilized bead. The rotation stage drives the lyophilized bead to rotate 360 degrees as performing an inspection of the lyophilized bead, and the image sensor continuously captures images of the lyophilized bead at different angles, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead for the inspection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A visual inspection system for a lyophilized bead, comprising:
 a processor controlling an operation of the visual inspection system;   a rotation stage;   an adaptor connected to the rotation stage and located under the rotation stage for positioning the lyophilized bead;   a light source located at a lateral side of the lyophilized bead for emitting lights to illuminate the lyophilized bead;   a telecentric lens located at the lateral side of the lyophilized bead together with the light source for imaging the lyophilized bead;   an image sensor located at a lateral side of the telecentric lens opposite to the lyophilized bead for capturing images of the lyophilized bead,   wherein the rotation stage drives the lyophilized bead to rotate 360 degrees as performing an inspection of the lyophilized bead, and the image sensor continuously captures images of the lyophilized bead at different angles, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead for the inspection;   an image processing module controlled by the processor for reconstructing the three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead from the images of the lyophilized bead at different angles captured by the image sensor; and   an identification module controlled by the processor for identifying defects on a surface of the lyophilized bead based on a reconstructed three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead.   
     
     
         2 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reconstructing of the three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead is correlated to an orientation of the lyophilized bead. 
     
     
         3 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the images captured by the image sensor are further analyzed for adjusting a rotation speed of the rotation stage. 
     
     
         4 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the telecentric lens and the lyophilized bead are located at a substantially same horizontal height. 
     
     
         5 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a housing for positioning the rotation stage, wherein the lyophilized bead is inspected within the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the housing is a light box for further providing ambient lights during the inspection. 
     
     
         7 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lyophilized bead is accommodated in a container and the container is disposed on the adaptor. 
     
     
         8 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the adaptor comprises a surrounding portion for surrounding a periphery of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the adaptor comprises an engagement portion for engaging with a portion of the container. 
     
     
         10 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the container is made of a transparent material for passing therethrough the lights illuminated by the light source. 
     
     
         11 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rotation stage is driven by a motor. 
     
     
         12 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light source is one selected from a group consisting of an in-line light source, a ring light source and a diffuse light source. 
     
     
         13 . The visual inspection system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor comprises a camera. 
     
     
         14 . A visual inspection method for a lyophilized bead, comprising:
 providing a visual inspection system comprising a processor, a rotation stage, an adaptor, a light source, a telecentric lens, and an image sensor, wherein the processor controls an operation of the visual inspection system, the adaptor is connected to the rotation stage and located under the rotation stage, the light source and the telecentric lens are located at a lateral side of the lyophilized bead, and the image sensor is located at a lateral side of the the telecentric lens opposite to the lyophilized bead;   disposing the lyophilized bead on the adaptor;   the rotation stage driving the adaptor and the lyophilized bead to rotate 360 degrees;   the light source emitting lights for illuminating the lyophilized bead;   the telecentric lens imaging the lyophilized bead;   the image sensor continuously capturing images of the lyophilized bead at different angles;   obtaining a three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead; and   inspecting the lyophilized bead based on the three-dimensional image thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The visual inspection method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 reconstructing the three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead by an image processing module from the images of the lyophilized bead at different angles captured by the image sensor; and   identifying defects on a surface of the lyophilized bead by an identification module based on a reconstructed three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead.   
     
     
         16 . The visual inspection method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the reconstructing of the three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead is correlated to an orientation of the lyophilized bead. 
     
     
         17 . The visual inspection method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising analyzing the images captured by the image sensor for adjusting a rotation speed of the rotation stage. 
     
     
         18 . The visual inspection method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the telecentric lens and the lyophilized bead are located at a substantially same horizontal height. 
     
     
         19 . The visual inspection method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the lyophilized bead is accommodated in a container and the container is disposed on the adaptor.